The Best Avocado Egg Salad

February 8, 2018

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Avocado egg salad. AKA not yo mama’s egg salad. While I’m a big fan of mayonnaise, it’s not a condiment we typically keep in our house. You might find that strange, or inspiring, or whatever, but there you have it.

If you’re like us and don’t keep mayo in your house but love a good egg salad, this recipe’s for you. Or maybe you’re looking for a slightly-healthier alternative to your favorite deli-inspired dish. I’m not here to judge. This is a judgement-free zone, friends.

I’m just here to give you a tasty recipe that’ll check all those boxes.

So, here’s the scoop… You can make an amazing egg salad without mayo. Yep, you heard me right. Those rich, healthy fats in the all-mighty avocado will give you the perfect amount of creaminess for your egg salad.

Is there anything an avocado can’t do? Seriously.

Maybe jumping jacks. Or slurping spaghetti.

Can we just stop for a second and imagine an avocado that does jumping jacks and slurps noodles? I die.

Okay, back to the topic at hand: avocado egg salad.

The inspiration for this recipe came from my love of egg salad (obvi) but also my frequent cravings for avocado toast. Think of it as the delicious food baby created from mixing the best aspects of the two dishes: it’s got cumin, lots of lime-juice, dijon mustard and flaky sea salt. I really wasn’t kidding when I said this wasn’t yo mama’s egg salad.

A few notes:

One avocado goes a long way! I used one large avocado with 8 eggs for this recipe and came out with enough egg salad for about 6 hefty sandos. So keep that in mind. This recipe makes a lot. (But you can easily halve it, or double it!)

Don’t forget the quick-pickled red onions. They add the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch to an otherwise soft sandwich. Plus, they’re so pretty! *heart eyes emoji* And they come together in no time flat with staples you def already have on hand.

Find a sturdy, flavorful bread and eat open-faced. Now, I’m not about to force you to eat your sandwich a specific way, but I’ll share what I’ve learned. I didn’t just choose pumpernickel because of its beautiful color and excellent crust. It happens to be a great foundation for this sandwich, especially when you eat it open-faced. It’s also got such great flavor: molasses, dark rich crust, slightly salted etc. I really do think there’s a science to sandwich-building. 😉

*A disclaimer I must add before sending you on your merry way to whip this up: You’ll want to eat this egg salad on the same day you make it. No amount of lemon juice or airtight seal will keep this stuff from turning gray overnight in the fridge. Trust me, I’ve tried. And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it the next day, we eat with our eyes. So plan ahead and intend for no leftovers.

AKA not yo mama’s egg salad! A cross between egg salad and avocado toast, this dish is perfect for a slightly-healthier brunch or lunch, any day of the week.

Ingredients

For the Avocado Egg Salad

8 eggs

1 large avocado

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon cumin

The juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

One green onion, thinly sliced

For the Quick-Pickled Onions

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

For the Avocado Egg Salad

Cover eggs with cold water in a small pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 9 minutes. Then, remove eggs from the pot and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cool, peel.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Place the egg yolks in a bowl and mash them until they are an even texture.

Scoop the avocado into the same bowl and mix to incorporate.

Add Dijon mustard, ground mustard, cumin, lemon juice, salt and green onion to the bowl and mix well to combine.

Roughly chop the egg whites and toss them into the same bowl and stir gently until combined.

Taste test and adjust seasonings to your preferences.

For the Quick Pickled Onions

Place the onions in a jar.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and salt.

Pour the liquid mixture over the onions.

Seal the jar, shake well and let sit at room temperature for one hour.